I don't think anybody was expecting a performance, four days to create a new identity and a new team isn't any time at all, the rebuilding process will take time, but the obvious enthusiasm is toward the player selection which was right.

Italy is in general two weeks behind the rest because of the late league start, so fitness and match application is not there yet, v an Ivory Coast team who's seasons have started or will at the weekend, and no Italy manager since Zoff has ever won their opening fixture,

There was a lot of positives to take from the match, and in the future a lot of optimism, Italy has never turned up in friendly matches no matter what players and manger, so i'm not bothered by the result, the importance now is for Prandelli to create his team and mould it over the next few months, then we'll see where we are next summer, but for the moment i think we can enthusiastic, we have Pirlo, G.Rossi, Santon, and a host of other players to come in and return to fitness,

Di Caniooooo! wrote:Well thats not the start of the Prandelli era that they wanted.

Rome was not built in a day, mate

It takes time to completely reconstruct a team for the future. Prandelli is not taking the easy route (like Lippi and Donadoni did just before him) of modifying the existing team. Prandelli is doing the right thing, Italy needs reinvention and new blood. The average age of the team fell by like 4 years, 3 creative attacking players were used, and there were 5 debutants. Now thats what I call the start of a revolution, a new era.

The performances will come, in two months or six. What is key now is the intent and direction. From the looks of it, Prandelli has got those spot on so far. And he has also managed to get all the fans excited and behind the team again... In those respects, this Prandelli era is off to a good start...

Playing For Your Country Is A Joy That Can't Be Compared To Anything Else - Italy's Mario BalotelliThe young attacker was delighted to make his first international appearance for Italy...By Stefan Coerts

Italy locked horns with Cote d'Ivoire in an international friendly on Tuesday and the Europeans were eventually beaten 1-0 by Les Elephants. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli used the friendly to give Inter starlet Mario Balotelli his first international appearance at senior level and the 19-year-old was very emotional after his Italy debut.

"It was a very emotional moment for me, especially during the national anthem. I can't really explain why, but I wasn't even able to sing along due to the emotions, which was kind of strange for me," said Balotelli to Sky Sport 24.

"Of course, when the game started, I soon put all the emotions behind me. When you play for your country, it's such a huge joy. I find it impossible to compare it to anything else I have ever experienced."

Happy for the kid

I don't think anyone doubts his nationality or national loyalties, apart from some racist bigots.

Playing For Your Country Is A Joy That Can't Be Compared To Anything Else - Italy's Mario BalotelliThe young attacker was delighted to make his first international appearance for Italy...By Stefan Coerts

Italy locked horns with Cote d'Ivoire in an international friendly on Tuesday and the Europeans were eventually beaten 1-0 by Les Elephants. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli used the friendly to give Inter starlet Mario Balotelli his first international appearance at senior level and the 19-year-old was very emotional after his Italy debut.

"It was a very emotional moment for me, especially during the national anthem. I can't really explain why, but I wasn't even able to sing along due to the emotions, which was kind of strange for me," said Balotelli to Sky Sport 24.

"Of course, when the game started, I soon put all the emotions behind me. When you play for your country, it's such a huge joy. I find it impossible to compare it to anything else I have ever experienced."

Happy for the kid

I don't think anyone doubts his nationality or national loyalties, apart from some racist bigots.

Playing For Your Country Is A Joy That Can't Be Compared To Anything Else - Italy's Mario BalotelliThe young attacker was delighted to make his first international appearance for Italy...By Stefan Coerts

Italy locked horns with Cote d'Ivoire in an international friendly on Tuesday and the Europeans were eventually beaten 1-0 by Les Elephants. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli used the friendly to give Inter starlet Mario Balotelli his first international appearance at senior level and the 19-year-old was very emotional after his Italy debut.

"It was a very emotional moment for me, especially during the national anthem. I can't really explain why, but I wasn't even able to sing along due to the emotions, which was kind of strange for me," said Balotelli to Sky Sport 24.

"Of course, when the game started, I soon put all the emotions behind me. When you play for your country, it's such a huge joy. I find it impossible to compare it to anything else I have ever experienced."

Happy for the kid

I don't think anyone doubts his nationality or national loyalties, apart from some racist bigots.

I doubt we'l see the proper implementation and cohesion of Prandelli's vision until next year, the points mattered tonight, not a performance or anything although there were some good plays, Estonia played well and having hit the bvar straight after the restart could have been 2-0 up but we had good chances too in the first half despite the scoreline.

Montolivo had an excellent volley just over, Pazzo missed a one on one, a header and a flicked chance,

After the restart much better, and Prandelli said as much the first half we massively lacked confidence, but Pirlo set up both goals from corners, Cassano free to head the first in and the second for Cassano to backheel across to Leo, bit of a panic for the last five minutes but we saw the result out, three points and can build.

Not surprised anyway because Italia always qualifies slowly and steady and plays poorly, we usually draw our qualification openers, so we can see tonight as an improvement (!)

He played an absolute beautiful of a pass to Pazzo that put him clear as well, he played well.

Poli hopefully will also start to be moved into La Nazionale as well, although Prandelli seems to prefer Cigarini to be moulded as Pirlo's 'heir' although hopefully il metronome has a few years left in him yet, i think he'll be galvanised and more dominant this season with our arrivals

Im glad to hear Cassano played well since he is one of my absolute favourites however I don't think that the assist was as good as it has been said. Nonetheless it is good to see Italy do well from the start in qualifiers and the Serbia game will be very interesting and hopefully by then Prandelli will have made a clear imprint on the team.

Greetings from the Greek island of Santorini.... I missed the game, but from the line up, reviews and highlights, it looks like the Azzurri are going in the right direction. Completely agree with Pirlo, it will take at least a year before Prandelli's work starts showing.... the amount of "revolutionalising" he has to undertake is a big ask, not made easy by the "safety first" policies of his two predecessors (who should have gradually revolutionalised the squad.

Prandelli's line up was fresh, he has taken all the risk we hoped he would take, and more. He is showing the he is not afraid of being the fall guy if things go horribly wrong (which they can with such an inexperienced squad). Take Chiellini out, and his defence had an average experience of 1.3 international games!! Thats bold, and so fuckin desperately required, thanks to Lippi/Donadoni.

So well done Prandelli, we are proud of you already. Whether you win anything with the azzurri or not, you are setting the Italians up for the next 10 years...

I like it. Very inexperienced, but should be enough for Faroe Islands. This is probably more close to what shape we can expect during Prandelli's era.... 3 strikers, no DMs (De Rossi will play more like a box-to-box mid). Its going to be very risky in the modern game, but once these players start gelling, it will be very entertaining. 2 support strikers behind a CF, nice!

I like it. Very inexperienced, but should be enough for Faroe Islands. This is probably more close to what shape we can expect during Prandelli's era.... 3 strikers, no DMs (De Rossi will play more like a box-to-box mid). Its going to be very risky in the modern game, but once these players start gelling, it will be very entertaining. 2 support strikers behind a CF, nice!

The desired effect

I know that was only Faroe Islands... but for Italy, 5-0 is rare.... even against the smaller sides like these....

This is the Prandelli era!! And Cassano is making Lippi look like an idiot this summer. He has more talent in his left toe nail than a thousand generations of Pepe.

Cassano was absolutely fantastic, his goal was a great strike, it flew in like a rocket.

Pirlo's freekick was lovely too, and yet another Pirlo corner from the first goal! Two games for Pirlo, three assists from corners and a free-kick goal! Same for FantAntonio, two matches two goals and three assists!

The new axis of creativity

Poor Lippi

Performance tonight was excellent, we could have had 8 or 9 goals, much better than any of the crap shite Lippi turned out or even the bland stuff under Donadoni, at least Prandelli is bringing great football and entertainment to La Nazionale,

That entertainment can be continued on Saturday night by our 'Fantastic Four'